Dog left in hot U-Haul nearly an hour while owners went to Florida beach: police

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - Florida officers rescued a dog Sunday after it was locked inside a hot U-Haul truck while its owners went to the beach.

The dog had been inside the moving truck with its windows "cracked only slightly" for nearly an hour without any water, according to the New Smyrna Beach Police Department.

"The temperature outside at the time was 86 degrees with no cloud cover, meaning the temperature inside the vehicle was likely 100 degrees or more," the police department wrote on Facebook.

A video posted online shows a New Smyrna Beach police officer giving the dog water through the cracked window while another officer came up and asked the dog if it wanted a Slim Jim meat snack.

"Oh, hello, little baby," an officer said. "You want your Slim Jim?"

One officer can be heard on the video saying, "Probably can reach in there. She's pretty sweet. It's a manual window."

The truck's window was cracked enough for an officer to reach inside and pet the heavily panting dog.

The dog was safely removed from the U-Haul and taken to the Southeast Volusia Humane Society, police said, though no specific details were given about how the dog was rescued.

"Never leave an animal or a child alone inside a vehicle, even for a short period. It could be deadly," the police department wrote. "Thank you to the vigilant person who noticed the dog in the car and reported it so we could help."

According to police, charging affidavits were sent to the State Attorney's Office for the owners of the dog.